Page 65 of Resisting Temptation (Men of Honor 3)
All in all, I think we are all finding a good routine together, and the social worker seemed a lot more assured after her visit yesterday with us too. There are still many legal proceedings I need to go through, but things are moving in the direction we need. And although I have only been granted temporary guardianship for the meantime, I have every intention of going for permanent.
“Looks like you still haven’t learned your place, Dennison!”
My head suddenly snaps to the left when I hear a commotion at the front entrance.
“My place? And where is that exactly…Hunter?”
Uh oh! I get up quickly when I hear Christopher’s furious voice.
“It isn’t with her, so move along before I need to remind you just who you are and where you come from.”
“Ryan, stop it. This isn’t your business.” I recognize Alissa’s panicked voice, which has me moving faster.
“I’d like to see you try, asshole!”
“Fine by me and this time I’m going to do more damage than what your old man just did to you.”
I break into a jog now but I’m not fast enough. Just as I make it into the front entrance I see Christopher go at Ryan in a rage. Alissa jumps back with a scream and I race at both of them.
“Hey, that’s enough! Both of you stop!” They completely ignore me and continue to scuffle. I grab the back of Christopher’s shirt and dodge fast fists while I try to pull him back. “Stop it now! Christopher, please.”
Christopher pushes Ryan, sending him into the wall with a force stronger than I thought he was possible of, but thankfully he eases off. I put my hand on his chest to keep him back but Ryan isn’t done, and he doesn’t see me as he turns around and throws a punch. A very solid one right to the side of my face. Agony explodes across my cheek and rings in my ears for seconds later.
“Oh shit!” This comes from Ryan.
“Oh shit! Faith, are you okay?” This comes from Christopher.
“I’m okay. I’m okay,” I whisper painfully with my hand across my cheek, not feeling okay at all. My eyes water and black spots dance in my vision as I try to get my bearings.
I feel Alissa put her arm around my back to help me stay upright and that’s when I hear Christopher’s furious growl: “You’re dead, Hunter!”
I whip around to stop him but the quick action has pain slicing behind my eyes, making me lightheaded. Thank the Lord my father comes running in a second later, and thankfully he is not a small man. It’s pretty much the only thing he inherited from my papa.
“What on earth is going on in here?” he shouts, ripping Christopher off Ryan.
“He punched Faith!” Christopher tells him furiously.
“What?” My father turns around and rushes over to me. “Honey, are you all right?”
I’m able to stand up straight now and see a little better. “Yes, I’m okay.”
My dad pulls my hand away from my face and his eyes go wide before they turn hard. He looks back at the boys angrily and waits for an explanation.
Ryan swipes at his bloody mouth and raises his hands nervously. “It was an accident, I swear.”
“It was,” I say quickly, “he and Christopher were fighting and I got in the middle of them.”
“I don’t care. There should have been no fighting at all! I want to know what went on right now!”
Both Ryan and Christopher don’t speak up so Alissa does. “Christopher and I were talking and Ryan didn’t like it, so he came and started a fight when it wasn’t any of his business,” she explains, giving Ryan a pointed glare.
From the little I heard, I knew Ryan instigated this. He is also the one Christopher was busted fighting with before and now I know why. I’ve met Ryan’s parents before and I know where he gets his arrogance from. His father thinks he’s a big shot because he comes from old money and sits on the town council.
“It didn’t go quite like that,” he lies.
“Yes it did,” I speak up now. “I heard most of your conversation on my way in here, about telling Christopher where his place is. Well, Ryan, just to inform you, Christopher’s place is with me and this church is open to everyone. If you can’t respect that, and have a problem with it, then I suggest you don’t come back.”
I feel the weight of Christopher’s stare but I don’t look over, I only keep my eyes on Ryan. Instead of being embarrassed or apologetic, like he should be, he smirks at me arrogantly. “I don’t think so. My dad’s money is what’s backing this church.”
My blood starts to heat at the smug, little jerk but before I can put him in his place my dad does. “That doesn’t change the fact that this is my church no matter whose money is backing it. And my daughter is right, this place is open to everyone and anyone who leads a respected life, and if you can’t respect that, or Christopher, then you won’t be welcome back here.”
I nod and give my dad a proud fist bump on the back for telling him like it is.
“I’ll make sure to let my father know,” he replies as he starts toward the door, then he stops and glances back at me with a smug look. “Sorry about your face.”
Christopher starts at him again but Alissa and I hold him back.
My dad quickly ushers me back into the church and sits me down in a pew before worriedly checking my face again. “Dad, I swear, I’m okay.”
“It doesn’t look okay,” he replies angrily.
I grab his hand gently. “It is. I promise.”
He thankfully lets it go. “How are things going with you and the kids? I haven’t had a chance to ask since I saw you the other day. Did you get their bedrooms together?”
I nod. “Yes, Cade came and helped.”
I watch something register in his expression that I can’t decipher. “You know, I would like to meet the man who saved my daughter’s life. Maybe you could invite him over to one of our Sunday suppers?”
